Fire extinguished aboard the Ship Shoal 266 A owned by Renaissance Offshore LLC, an oil and gas platform 80 miles offshore Grand Isle, LA.

Mary Wyatt Milano







Oil spill response team deployed in Gulf of Mexico
Coast Guard responding to blaze about 80 miles off the coast of Louisiana.
By Daniel J. Graeber | Jan. 5, 2017 at 7:51 AM


U.S. Coast Guard responding to fire at oil platform off the coast of New Orleans. Image: Vessel Finder


NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- An oil spill response crew is on its way to a site about 80 miles off the coast of Louisiana following an oil platform fire, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The New Orleans sector of the U.S. Coast Guard said it was notified about 2:30 a.m. local time of a fire offshore. Four people at the platform who evacuated into the water were recovered by a nearby supply vessel with no reported injuries.

Those onboard the supply vessel Mary Wyatt Milano, and crews from three others, are working to control the fire.

"Clean Gulf, an oil spill response organization, is currently enroute to the platform," the Coast Guard said in a statement.

There was no word on whether sheen was apparent at the site of the blaze. There was no information yet as to which energy company was associated with the platform.

Online vessel-tracking data show the oil tanker Eva Schulte is near the site of the incident.

The Coast Guard said the incident is under investigation and response is ongoing.



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Coast Guard: Fire Reported on Gulf of Mexico Oil Platform


Jan 5, 2017, 7:03 AM ET

Four people were evacuated after a fire broke out on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday, the Coast Guard said.

"Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans were notified at approximately 2:30 a.m. that an oil production platform caught fire approximately 80 miles south of Grand Isle," the Coast Guard said in a statement.

The Coast Guard said an aircrew was en route to the scene, where several offshore supply vessels were fighting the blaze.

Clean Gulf, an oil spill response organization, has dispatched a team to the platform, according to the statement.

There were no reported injuries and the cause of the incident is under investigation, the Coast Guard said.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

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Coast Guard: Fire on oil platform in Gulf; four aboard rescued, safe
WWLTV.com , WWL 8:42 AM. CST January 05, 2017

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard responded to fire on an oil production platform near Grand Isle, Louisiana, Thursday.

Around 2:30 a.m., Coast Guard Sector New Orleans were notified that an oil production platform caught fire about 80 miles south of Grand Isle.

According to the Coast Guard, four people were aboard the platform who evacuated into the water and were recovered by the offshore supply vessel Mary Wyatt Milano.

There were no reported injuries and no reports of any pollution.

The Crew of Mary Wyatt Milano and three other offshore supply vessels were called in to fight the fire, which has been extinguished, according to Coast Guard.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.



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The fire on a Gulf of Mexico platform off the Louisiana coast has been put out and no pollution has been detected, the U.S. Coast Guard said, as quoted by media.

The platform is the property of Renaissance offshore LLC, which has now suspended production on it and also on a second platform in the area, the company said in a statement, adding that the 17 wells from which the two platforms pumped crude have been shut in and all workers evacuated.

Both Renaissance Offshore and government agencies said that no oil leakage had been detected either from the platform or the wells underneath it.


The platform, located about 80 miles south of Grand Isle, caught fire in the early morning yesterday, which led to the evacuation of the crew of four that was onboard the facility.

The crew, Renaissance’s statement said, tried to put out the fire themselves but after it became clear their efforts would not be sufficient, they were evacuated by a supply vessel, the Mary Wyatt Milano, which then, together with another three vessels, fought the fire.

All platform operators in the Gulf of Mexico are extremely sensitive to any such incidents, after the place became the scene of the worst environmental catastrophe in the history of U.S. oil in 2010, when a fire took down the Deepwater Horizon, operated by BP, and led to the spilling of millions of gallons of crude, affecting ecosystems and the local economy alike.

The disaster cost the oil major upwards of US$62 billion in fines and settlements and prompted environmental authorities in the U.S. to draft new regulation, tightening the rules of conduct for platform operators.

When the draft was first released, last summer, it caused an outcry among oil producers, who protested that it would increase their production costs in a way and to an extent that is unjustified.



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Oil Platform Fire Offshore Louisiana Investigated

Carolyn Davis
January 5, 2017


An investigation was ongoing Thursday following a predawn fire aboard the Ship Shoal 266 A owned by Renaissance Offshore LLC, an oil and gas platform 80 miles offshore Grand Isle, LA.

According to Renaissance, the fire was extinguished at 5:50 a.m. CST. The U.S. Coast Guard also reported no pollution issues. Renaissance officials and personnel from the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement boarded the platform in the afternoon and confirmed the ignition source was extinguished and all hydrocarbons were secure.

"Initial efforts were made by the crew to extinguish the fire, however the decision was made to discontinue those efforts and abandon the platform due to heavy smoke," Renaissance spokesman Oliver Marsh told NGI. "All four crew members on board safely evacuated from the platform aboard a life raft and were recovered by a field vessel that had been dispatched to the location."

The crew was "safely evacuated to a nearby facility" and later transferred onshore for a full evaluation. No one suffered any injuries, Marsh said.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans were notified about 2:30 a.m. CST that a production platform in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) was on fire. An HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew from Mobile, AL, responded.

The four people aboard the platform were recovered by the offshore supply vessel Mary Wyatt Milano. The crew of the Milanoand three other offshore supply vessels initially were fighting the blaze, a Coast Guard spokesman said. Clean Gulf, an oil spill response industry cooperative that responds to spills and provides equipment for cleanup, also responded.

Renaissance was formed in late 2011 by private equity Quantum Energy Partners primarily to acquire and develop legacy oil producing properties in the shallow waters of the GOM. The operator now has 10 offshore assets situated primarily on the Outer Continental Shelf in water depths up to 1,000 feet. Most of the assets -- seven operated fields and one nonoperated -- were acquired in 2014 from Black Elk Energy and included net production of 3,300 boe/d, 71% weighted to oil.

According to U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management data, Renaissance was the 28th largest oil producer in the GOM in 2016, producing a total of 1.657 million bbl of crude, as of the latest statistical update on Tuesday (Jan. 3). NGIcalculated that about one-half of Renaissance's 2016 GOM production came in the form of lighter condensate or natural gas.

Renaissance assets in the GOM are in East Cameron 345, 360; Eugene Island 314, 330, 331; Main Pass 76, 152, 153, 264, Mississippi Canyon 357; Sabine Pass 13; Ship Shoal 198, 199, 219, 266, 269, 305; South Pass 64, 65; South Timbalier 314, 317; West Delta 28, 133, 152; and Vermillion 369, 370, 408.

Lone Star Western Beef, Inc. and owner John M. Bachman sued by US DOL after it terminated employee who tried to call 911 after co-worker suffered amputation.

January 5, 2017

US Labor Department sues food manufacturer, owner that terminated
employee who tried to call 911 after co-worker suffered amputation.

Lone Star Western Beef's owner instructed worker not to call for assistance

FAIRMONT, W.Va. - When a co-worker severed part of his thumb in July 2014, a food processor at a beef jerky manufacturing plant acted quickly, helping him apply pressure to the wound and using her cellphone to call 911. Before responders could answer, the company's owner ordered her to hang up. Two days later, she was terminated.

Instead of calling an ambulance, John M. Bachman - owner of Lone Star Western Beef, Inc., - collected the severed portion of the wounded worker's thumb and told a company supervisor to drive the injured employee to an urgent care clinic. The injured worker was transferred ultimately to a hospital, where doctors were unable to reattach the severed body part. In addition to her efforts to call for emergency assistance, the coworker noticed that Bachman did not clean or sanitize the area of the plant where the injury occurred fully. Later that afternoon, she discussed her concerns about the incident, cleanup, lack of appropriate personal protective equipment, and her attempt to call 911 with a U.S. Department of Agriculture inspector.

The U.S. Department of Labor today filed a lawsuit against Lone Star and Bachman seeking back wages and punitive damages for the terminated employee.

"Lone Star Western Beef punished an employee for seeking emergency medical care for a seriously injured co-worker. Her efforts were protected under Section 11(c) and showed basic human decency," said Richard Mendelson, OSHA regional administrator in Philadelphia. "No worker should have to fear retaliation from their employer for calling 911 in an emergency, or taking other action to report a workplace safety or health incident."

After she was fired, the co-worker called the department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration and filed a complaint alleging that Lone Star Western Beef Inc., and John M. Bachman specifically, terminated her in retaliation for engaging in a protected activity under Occupational Safety and Health Act. The agency's investigation found that the company violated the act's anti-discrimination provision, or Section 11(c), when Bachman terminated the complainant for trying to call 911 in response to the incident.

Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, Clarksburg Division, the suit seeks the following:

• Enjoining Lone Star Western Beef Inc., John M. Bachman, and any officers, agents, servants or employees from violating Section 11(c)(1) of the act.
• Directing the defendants to pay damages to the terminated worker for lost wages resulting from the termination.
• Directing the company to post a notice at its facility for 60 days stating that it will not discriminate or retaliate against employees involved in activities protected by Section 11 (c) of the act.
• Ordering all other appropriate relief including punitive damages, emotional distress, pain and suffering and any other expense incurred due to the termination.

The department's Regional Office of the Solicitor in Philadelphia is litigating the case.

OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of 22 statutes protecting employees who report violations of various airline, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, environmental, financial reform, food safety, motor vehicle safety, health care reform, nuclear, pipeline, public transportation agency, railroad, maritime and securities laws.

Employers are prohibited from retaliating against employees who raise various protected concerns or provide protected information to the employer or the government. Employees who believe that they have been retaliated against for engaging in protected conducted may file a complaint with the secretary of labor for an investigation by OSHA's Whistleblower Protection Program. More information is available online at http://www.whistleblowers.gov.

Under the OSH Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by settling and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

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Nemo Plastics Inc., an Atlanta-based paper, plastic recycler, fined $133K after it exposes workers to fire, explosion, machine guarding hazards

January 5, 2017

Nemo Plastics Inc., an Atlanta-based paper, plastic recycler, exposes workers to fire, explosion, machine guarding hazards; OSHA proposes $133K in penalties
Employer cited for 21 serious safety, health violations

Employer name:

Nemo Plastics Inc.

Inspection site:

1425 Candler Road

Gainesville, Georgia 30507

Citations issued: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to Nemo Plastics for 21 serious and three other-than-serious safety and health violations. The inspection was initiated after the agency received a complaint.

Investigation findings: OSHA issued the serious citations for:

• Exposing workers to explosion and fire hazards by allowing combustible dust to accumulate.
• Failure to provide employees personal protective clothing.
• Failure to implement a hazardous energy control program to prevent machinery from starting up during maintenance and servicing.
• Failure to evaluate spaces such as silos to determine if they were permit-required confined spaces.
• Exposing workers to amputations hazards due to missing machine guards.
• Failure to develop a noise monitoring program.

The other-than-serious violations include exposing workers to electrical hazards, not providing Appendix D for employees using respirators and failing to post combustible dust warning signs to inform employees of the fire and explosive hazards associated with combustible dust.

Proposed penalties: $133,443

Quote: "Nemo Plastics is responsible to assess workplace hazards and ensure measures are taken to protect employees," said William Fulcher, OSHA's area director in the Atlanta-East Office. "Workers should not have to risk their lives or health to provide for themselves and their families. The hazards identified during this complaint inspection are preventable by taking basic safety precautions such as providing personal protective equipment, performing routine housekeeping and guarding machines so that a worker doesn't get injured or killed."

The citations can be viewed at:
  https://www.dol.gov/sites/default/files/newsroom/newsreleases/OSHA20162382a.pdf https://www.dol.gov/sites/default/files/newsroom/newsreleases/OSHA20162382b.pdf

Based in Atlanta, Nemo Plastics receives waste cardboard and plastics to recycle the material for shipment to further processing companies to be reused. The employer has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint; or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Atlanta-East Area Office at 770-493-6644.

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• Nemo Plastics, Inc. was founded in 1997.
• Nemo Plastics, Inc. handles over 75 million pounds of post industrial / post consumer pounds of plastic per year.
• Nemo Plastics, Inc. specializes in PCR plastics materials as well as Post Industrial plastic materials.
• Nemo Plastics, Inc. is an international company with an emphasis on domestic sales.

Services:

• 30 day terms for quick payment.
• Spotted Trailers for easy loading and storage.
• Prompt scheduling and removal of trailers.
• Nemo Plastics, Inc. has a certified on site scale to accurately weigh all inbound and outbound shipments.

US Department of Labor issues final rule to lower beryllium levels, increase workplace protections to reduce health risks

Jan. 6, 2017

US Department of Labor issues final rule to lower beryllium levels,
increase workplace protections to reduce health risks

WASHINGTON - A new rule issued today by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration dramatically lowers workplace exposure to beryllium, a strategically important material that can cause devastating lung diseases. The new beryllium standards for general industry, construction and shipyards will require employers to take additional, practical measures to protect an estimated 62,000 workers from these serious risks.

Beryllium is a strong, lightweight metal used in the aerospace, electronics, energy, telecommunication, medical and defense industries. However, it is highly toxic when beryllium-containing materials are processed in a way that releases airborne beryllium dust, fume, or mist into the workplace air that can be then inhaled by workers, potentially damaging their lungs.

Recent scientific evidence shows that low-level exposures to beryllium can cause serious lung disease. The new rule revises previous beryllium permissible exposure limits, which were based on decades-old studies.

"Outdated exposure limits do not adequately protect workers from beryllium exposure," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "OSHA's new standard is based on a strong foundation of science and consensus on the need for action, including peer-reviewed scientific evidence, a model standard developed by industry and labor, current consensus standards and extensive public outreach. The new limits will reduce exposures and protect the lives and lungs of thousands of beryllium-exposed workers."

The final rule will reduce the eight-hour permissible exposure limit from the previous level of 2.0 micrograms per cubic meter to 0.2 micrograms per cubic meter. Above that level, employers must take steps to reduce the airborne concentration of beryllium. The rule requires additional protections, including personal protective equipment, medical exams, other medical surveillance and training, as well. It also establishes a short-term exposure limit of 2.0 micrograms per cubic meter over a 15-minute sampling period.

OSHA estimates that - once in full effect - the rule will annually save the lives of 94 workers from beryllium-related diseases and prevent 46 new cases of beryllium-related disease. Workers in foundry and smelting operations, fabricating, machining, grinding beryllium metal and alloys, beryllium oxide ceramics manufacturing and dental lab work represent the majority of those at risk.

Beryllium exposure is also a concern in other industries. Employees handling fly ash residue from the coal-burning process in coal-fired power plants risk beryllium exposure. In the construction and shipyard industries, abrasive blasters and their helpers may be exposed to beryllium from the use of slag blasting abrasives. Work done in these operations may cause high dust levels and significant beryllium exposures despite the low beryllium content.

To give employers sufficient time to meet the requirements and put proper protections in place, the rule provides staggered compliance dates. Once the rule is effective, employers have one year to implement most of the standard's provisions. Employers must provide the required change rooms and showers beginning two years after the effective date. Employers are also required to implement the engineering controls beginning three years after the effective date of the standards.

The final rule is available today at the Federal Register here.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

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Beryllium Disease occurs when people are exposed to high concentrations of this toxic metal. Workers in the aerospace, defense, manufacturing, and metal working industries face the greatest risk of exposure. Our law firm is working with experienced beryllium disease attorneys, who are filing lawsuits, and there are no legal fees unless you receive a settlement or award. Call us toll-free anytime or submit a contact form online.

Have You Been Exposed to Beryllium in the Workplace?

Beryllium is a toxic metal that is used in a number of industries. Exposure to high concentrations of this metal may lead to lung damage and a serious condition known as beryllium disease. If you believe that you or a loved one has suffered this type of injury, then you should talk to a personal injury lawyer about your rights. You may have a valid workers’ compensation claim, social security disability claim, or third party action.

Beryllium Exposure in the Workplace

Beryllium is a rare metal that is mined and refined for industrial use. It is often combined with metals like aluminum, cobalt, copper, iron, and nickel in order to increase their hardness and resistance to corrosion. This metal is used in manufacturing and metal working in the form of beryllium ceramics, beryllium copper alloy, and beryllium oxide powder. Oftentimes, exposure occurs when dust or fumes are released by alloys, ceramics, metals, metal oxides, or salts that contain the substance. Workers in the following industries may be exposed to this toxic metal without realizing it.

• Aerospace Workers (Jet, Satellite, and Space Shuttle Components)
• Defense Industry
• Dental Products (Bridges, Crowns, and Dental Plates)
• Manufacturing (Automobile, Computer, Electronic, Phone, and X-Ray Components)

• Metal Workers (Alloys, Die Casting, and Metal Processing)
• Mining and Refining (Ore Extraction)
• Nuclear Energy (Heat Shields and Nuclear Reactors)

Signs and Symptoms of Beryllium Disease

Exposure to this metal can lead to a serious condition known as beryllium disease (berylliosis). Acute beryllium disease occurs when a person is exposed to large amounts of the metal in a short period of time. Chronic beryllium disease (CBD) occurs when a person is exposed to dangerous levels of the metal over a long period of time. This condition is caused by the inhalation of metal particles which causes swelling in the lungs. White blood cells attack the metal particles in the lungs but are unable to remove it from the body. This buildup of particles and white blood cells is called a granuloma. Symptoms of this condition include the following.

• Fatigue
• Weight Loss
• Difficulty Breathing/Shortness of Breath
• Cough
• Chest Pain

In order to determine whether you are suffering from this condition your doctor will usually run a blood test known as a beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test (BeLPT). Your doctor may also order breathing tests or chest x-rays in order to better understand how this condition has affected your body. Beryllium disease cannot be fully treated but its symptoms can be controlled. In many cases, doctors advise patients to avoid further exposure to the substance and use a corticosteroid to control the lung swelling. It is difficult to predict the long-term consequences of this condition because some patients live the rest of their lives without experiencing serious symptoms while other patients develop progressive diseases like lung cancer.

Compensation for Your Beryllium Injuries

People who have suffered beryllium disease and lung damage may be entitled to compensation. If your injuries are a result of workplace exposure then you may be entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Some people may be barred from receiving these benefits because their condition developed years after their exposure. Additionally, the federal government has established a program to compensate Department of Energy employees and government contractors who have suffered these types of injuries. However, you should talk to an attorney before you apply for these benefits because receiving workers’ compensation benefits or a lump sum payment under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 may bar you from bringing claims against your employer. This is important to consider because your losses may exceed the amount you would receive under these programs and you may be able to receive more compensation by filing a beryllium lawsuit. Additionally, you may qualify for Social Security Disability benefits if your injuries prevent you from working. An experienced beryllium lawyer will be able to give you the assistance you need to make the best decision in these matters.

Do You Need Legal Advice Concerning Your Beryllium Disease Injuries?

If you or a loved one has suffered lung damage due to beryllium exposure, you should talk to an attorney about your rights. You may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, or other losses. We work with some of the more experienced beryllium lawyers, who handle these cases, and there are no legal fees unless you receive a settlement or award. Feel free to call us toll-free or submit an online contact form.
Source:

• (i) Cleveland Clinic Health Information.
  http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/beryllium_disease/hic_beryllium_disease.aspx
• (ii) Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).
  https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/beryllium/be_and_chronic_be_disease.html